Chapter 135
Chapter 135
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 135
Chapter Title: Upgraded Gear and the March to Hell
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The gear that greeted us upon our return to the mansion had all been meticulously repaired. Vulcanus had laid it out neatly in front of each of our rooms.
I picked up my armor with a satisfied expression. It wasn't quite as good as I'd hoped, but it was much lighter than before and far easier to handle.
The joints moved even more naturally now.
"Good work, Vulcanus."
"Thank you. I put my all into it."
Ma Jeongwoo and Michael looked pleased as well. Vulcanus's forging skills were the best in the game, so there was no room for complaints.
Yoo Sora approached me with a delighted smile.
"Cheonjae, my outfit looks like it's changed a lot, doesn't it?"
Her nurse uniform had been completely revamped. The black nurse's garb now featured a massive syringe-shaped pistol holstered at her waist.
"Looks cool. Does that gun actually fire?"
"I'm not sure. Want to test it out?"
"Sure. Shoot that guy over there."
I pointed at Vulcanus. He trembled with a frightened look on his face.
"N-No, you can't! That gun isn't for attacking."
"What? Then what is it?"
"I noticed you using enhancement skills through syringes last time, so I made an accessory that lets you use multiple at once."
"An accessory?"
"Yes! If you hold that syringe and activate a skill, it'll charge up inside."
"..."
Did I ever ask him to make something like that? I almost scolded him but held back.
It seemed like a waste of materials, but since it was already made, better to make good use of it.
Yoo Sora seemed happy with it anyway.
Click.
Ma Jeongwoo finished equipping all his items and grabbed Vulcanus by the shoulder.
"This thing's a real gem. The axe and armor are way lighter now."
"Heh heh, for the heavy, low-defense parts, I sliced creep leather thin using the crepe processing method and layered dozens, hundreds of sheets."
"So the defense stays the same?"
Vulcanus winked and pointed at Ma Jeongwoo's armor.
"You think there's armor that's lighter but has more metal for higher defense? Or not?"
Ma Jeongwoo grinned and smacked him on the head.
Whack!
"There is!"
"There isn't!"
"...What?"
"Sorry. It did get lighter, but the defense dropped a tiny bit..."
Silence fell.
A tense air hung between them. Jeongwoo gripped his axe tightly and glared at him.
"No, this guy's insane. Are you nuts?"
"It was a joke. Don't get worked up."
"No... damn it..."
"The defense only dropped a smidge. But it's so much lighter now, it'll be way better in combat."
Jeongwoo raised his hand to hit him again but scratched his head instead.
"Sigh... Good job making it. Just no more dumb jokes next time."
"Yes, sir..."
I scanned everyone, checking what had changed.
With the new abilities added, I needed to think about strategies for upcoming battles.
First off, Yoo Sora could now use a rechargeable syringe.
It seemed like a skill mixer from the past. If my guess was right, it could inject all three syringes at once.
I had no idea how bad the side effects would be, though...
"Sora, want to try using all three syringe types?"
"Right now?"
"Yeah."
She nodded and activated her syringe skills in order.
Red, yellow, blue.
The three colors swirled together inside the massive syringe Vulcanus had made.
They didn't mix.
But at least we knew she could inject all three abilities at the same time.
"Cheonjae, it says I can administer to up to three people total."
"...Really?"
"Yes."
"Then give it a shot."
I held out my hand.
Jeongwoo and Michael did the same.
Yoo Sora injected us one by one in turn. Unlike before, where she had to pierce the skin, she just placed it against us and pulled the trigger.
[You have received a blood transfusion of three attributes from player 'Yoo Sora.']
[The powers of Je-cheon Dae-seong, Cheon-bong Won-su, and Gwon-le Dae-jang are simultaneously bestowed upon you.]
[Activation time: 160 minutes]
My muscles swelled, my body growing a size larger. My chest burned hot, while my skin felt refreshingly cool.
'Cheon-bong Won-su...'
The powers of the Three Zhangs were gone, replaced by Zhu Bajie, one of the commanders guarding the Heavenly River.
I wasn't sure why, but one thing was clear.
"...Impressive."
* * * * *
Fully prepared, we returned to Mechania. The sky over the city had turned blue, and grass was sprouting through cracks in the cement—the environment had improved that much.
People's faces brimmed with vitality. The townsfolk all rushed out to greet us.
-Kim Cheonjae is back!
-Teacher... It's all thanks to you that we're surviving.
-What are you all doing? Go find Grand Commander Kang!
Soldiers hurried over, bringing Kang Daewon to us. He looked disheveled, his beard overgrown from being too busy.
"Whoa! You're here!"
He ran up and hugged me.
I looked down at him and asked,
"You've been well?"
"Yes, thanks to you. This city has been reborn."
"Glad to hear it."
"And you, Cheonjae? Holding up okay?"
"Of course."
Kim Yeonhee, overhearing, hissed through her teeth.
She seemed about to say we hadn't been okay, but I waved my finger to silence her.
"Is Aidos handling things well?"
"Oh, yes! Better than I expected—he's managing everything perfectly."
"Good. I was worried he'd go berserk after we left."
"Haha... No such thing happened. Right, Aidos?"
['Aidos' welcomes the return of Kim Cheonjae's group.]
A holographic woman popped up from the ground and bowed to me.
For a system without a physical form, it was the highest courtesy.
I stood before Aidos and asked,
"Status?"
['All tasks completed.']
"...Well done."
Even a quick glance showed Mechania's defense system was flawless now.
There were far more robot units than before, and defensive structures as sturdy as the control tower dotted everywhere.
"We need more anti-air missiles."
['Aidos' acknowledges Kim Cheonjae's command.]
[Instructing construction robots to build anti-air missile turrets.]
I smirked at Aidos. It mirrored my expression. An AI mimicking human moods.
'Cute little thing.'
"Governor, we'll take our leave now."
Kang Daewon shook his head helplessly.
"Governor? I'm just representing them in reshaping the city."
I grinned back at him.
"I see. In that case, Representative, we'll head out first since we're busy."
"Right now?"
"Yes. We didn't come here for business today—we came for that."
My finger pointed to a red gate that hadn't been there before, right in front of Mechania's central control tower.
Kang Daewon swallowed hard and asked,
"Do you know where that gate leads?"
"Yes."
"...I see."
"You know too, huh?"
"Of course. Long before you arrived, a savior appeared through that gate. He vanished suddenly, and I wondered where he'd gone... then he showed up again recently."
Savior.
Makes sense—archangels are humanity's saviors, after all.
I nodded silently and told him,
"Demons will come back here."
"...When?"
"Can't say for sure. But it won't take more than a week."
"A week..."
"When I leave, put the whole city on high alert."
Kang Daewon nodded solemnly.
"...Understood. Thank you for the warning."
"No problem. We'll be off then..."
I gestured to my group.
We stepped through the gate one by one, heading to heaven. Mechania's residents waved us off.
* * * * *
['Kim Cheonjae's' group enters Heaven.]
[A gate to 'Burning Hell-2' opens in the 'Holy Corridor.']
['Magic Power Stones' that empower holy beings are activated.]
[Angels empowered by the Magic Power Stones finish battle preparations.]
In the Holy Corridor, angels stood ready in full force.
They were as countless as dragonflies filling a summer sky.
I searched for Michael among them.
"Michael."
"...You've arrived."
"Heading out?"
"We agreed to move as soon as you got here. Ready?"
I glanced at my group and replied,
"Yes."
"Alright... Raphael! Uriel!"
Two sturdy female angels flew over to us.
Raphael, arriving first, beamed.
"You called?"
"The humans are back. You're in command of them."
"Oh... Got it."
Uriel, arriving late, asked Michael,
"What about me?"
"You lead the rest of the heavenly troops to hell. Just follow Raphael."
"And you?"
"I'll head out once Metatron finishes the corridor's barrier."
Uriel nodded in understanding.
"O-Okay. But where are the other archangels?"
Michael let out a long sigh laced with irritation.
"Aside from a few who left early, most insisted on guarding the corridor."
"Guarding the corridor? With Metatron and the barrier, why bother?"
"..."
"And now they pull this after pushing to rescue Gabriel?"
"Recalling the God-Demon War probably makes them not want to fight again."
"Damn fools..."
Uriel, true to her reputation as the roughest archangel in heaven's army. Her rough speech and gestures revealed her personality.
She raised her spear high overhead and bellowed at the heavenly troops.
"All forces, assemble!"
At her command, the lesser angels formed tight ranks.
Uriel and Raphael, preparations complete, headed for the gate to hell. We followed.
We ended up at the very rear of the heavenly army. Before departure, I asked Yoo Sora,
"Sora."
"Yes?"
"Did you happen to meet Specter yesterday?"
She shook her head with an innocent look.
"No."
"...I see."
"Why?"
"He'll come looking for you soon. When he does, let me know right away?"
"...Of course. I'll tell you immediately."
I gave her a friendly pat on the back.
"Thanks."
Whiiirrr—
The gate opened.
The angels began marching into hell. Unlike the uneventful tenth round,
the eleventh round awaited a massive battle. Normally, it should be easier than the seventh, but
in this altered storyline because of me, it wouldn't be.
'Beelzebub's condition has changed...'
I stepped into the gate to hell alongside the angels. A place I didn't want to revisit, but just this once...
Swoosh.
It felt like passing through warm waves. Jeongwoo and Kim Yeonhee followed right behind me. Yoo Sora and Michael entered slowly after.
And so, we followed the angels back into hell.
'......'
To exterminate the angels and demons.